1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vending machines, and more particularly, to a vend door assembly for use therein.
2. Prior Art
Vending machines of the general type to which the present invention relates generally have a plurality of article storage areas from which individual articles can be selected and deposited in a common delivery area from which they can be removed by a customer. The delivery areas take many forms in the prior art, but are essentially compartments into which a customer can reach to retrieve the selected article. Although the compartment can be open, it is common, for example, to provide a hinged door or a sliding door which covers the opening and must be displaced in order for the customer to remove his chosen article. In addition, because of the increase in attempts to pilfer such machines, it has become necessary to provide some form of anti-pilferage device, such as a sheet metal flap which is moved into position between the delivery area and the article storage area, at least while the access door is open to permit the customer to retrieve his article while blocking access to the article storage area. Such anti-pilferage devices prevent an individual from reaching through the delivery compartment up into the article storage area with a wire or some other device to attempt to dislodge other articles and cause them to drop into the delivery area where they can be retrieved.
Because of the need for such anti-pilferage devices and the need for a door covering the delivery area, it is necessary that the delivery compartment be formed deeper than would otherwise be necessary, in order to allow the door to be swung open above articles deposited therein without engaging them. Because of the current desire to vend larger products, the use of such prior art arrangements has become a limitation on the size of articles which may be dispensed from the vending machines because of the limited space for expanding the depth of the delivery compartment in the lower portion of the machine while expanding the customer access opening sufficiently to allow retrieval of larger articles.
In addition, due to the complexity of the door operating mechanisms and anti-pilferage flap operating mechanisms, they have become an undesirably expensive and complicated portion of the vending machine.